Two golds for Great Britain at UCI Para-cycling Road World Cup

Great Britain won two gold medals on the opening day of the UCI Para-cycling Road World Cup in Castiglione Della Pescaia, Italy.

World champions Lora Turnham and Corrine Hall were the fastest pair in the women’s B tandem time-trial on Friday while Paralympic silver medallist Karen Darke was quickest over 15km in the women’s H3 time-trial.

The three-day event is the first opportunity for athletes to amass qualification points towards the 2016 Rio Paralympics in Brazil.

Turnham and Hall completed the 30-kilometre course in 40:19.43, 23 seconds clear of New Zealand team pursuit world champions Emma Foy and Laura Fairweather.

Rhiannon Henry and Lauryn Therin were eighth, two minutes and 17 seconds back from their British teammates.

Darke, who missed the 2013 season through injury, made the perfect return with her time of 25:44.59 a full 32 seconds better than Poland’s Renata Kaluza in second and rewarding her with a first world cup victory.

Paralympic champion David Stone earned Britain’s other podium finish with third in the men’s T2 time-trial, nine seconds behind winner Ryan Boyle over the 15 kilometres.

Shaun McKeown was 12th in men’s C3 event.

After a positive opening day, para-cycling road coach Paul Dring said: “As the first world cup on the campaign to accumulate qualification points for Rio 2016, it is great opportunity to see our road squad stand up against the rest of the world.

“There were some strong performances throughout the team in today’s time-trials with gold medal performances from current world champions Lora Turnham and Corrine Hall in the women’s tandem time-trial and Karen Darke in the women’s H3 events.

“This was Karen’s first world cup win and particularly impressive after last year was ruled out through injury following a road traffic accident.”

A number of development athletes were also handed valuable world cup experience.

Brian Alldis was 15th in the men’s H4 time-trial, Simon Price seventh and Louis Rolfe 15th in the men’s C2 time-trial with Jonathan Gildea seventh in the men’s C5 time-trial.

Dring added: “It was great to see our development riders Jon Gildea and Louis Rolfe putting down markers in their first event on the world stage.”

Saturday and Sunday will see athletes compete in the road race events.